Tonight's Cocktail - Rum Runner

Invented at the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar in Islamorada, in the Florida Keys, the rum runner harkens back to Prohibition. The Florida Keys' close proximity to Cuba made them the perfect smuggling route for bringing Cuban rum and other Caribbean spirits into the US. It's difficult to think of a cocktail that so perfectly captures the tropical summers offered by the Keys.

This is a complicated drink with a lot of ingredients but, as with all recipes, a skilled mixologist can find ways to make adjustments. I'm not a big fan, usually, of blended drinks, but this one is better blended, in my opinion. Note this cocktail packs a punch.

Ingredients:

Two cups ice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz orange juice

1 oz blackberry liqueur

1 oz banana liqueur

1 oz light rum

1 oz dark rum or aged rum

Splash grenadine

Optional: one ounce of Bacardi 151 to float on top

Orange slice (optional)

To Mix:

Blended:

Fill your blender with the ice

Add all of the liquid ingredients

Blend the contents until smooth

Pour into a Hurricane glass and garnish with an orange slice

Add the 151 floater!

Or...

On the Rocks:

Fill glass with ice. Add the liquid contents. Pour the 151 in the straw or on the top.